Posts in Fraud, Scams & Safety Tips

Job Ad Red Flags

posted by on May 28, 2013 Leave a comment

Here at Kijiji, we devote significant resources to keeping the site clean from scam ads. In addition to our automated systems, we have a team of devoted scam finders working around the clock, reviewing both ads that have yet to be posted and those which have been flagged as suspicious by the community. However, those seeking work on Kijiji (or on any website) should be aware of some red flags to look out for.

Follow These Tips to Avoid Scams in your Online Job Search

Follow These Tips to Avoid Scams in your Online Job Search

Job is too good to be true. Employment scams are usually written to be appealing, generally offering far more than the standard pay for a strait forward or generic sounding position, often stating that little or no experience is necessary. These job ads frequently are geared towards those who may have difficulty finding work, and emphasize personal qualities or values such as trustworthiness rather than specific skills. Work from home positions are also common offerings. If you read the ad and react with “Wow – this job sounds amazing!” keep your guard up, and ask lots of questions.

No information (or very little information) on the company or individual who is hiring. If you encounter ads on your job search that contain hardly any information about the company hiring, stay alert. While some agencies have legitimate job postings and cannot reveal identifying details about the company, they should be able to give you details on the actual position, and their agency, even if information on the hiring company is off-limits.

A lot of questions about you. In almost all cases, your resume (and possibly also a cover letter) should be more than enough information for a potential employer. Questions about your SIN number before an interview, as well as requests for passport, address, or credit information are major red flags that the job is not legitimate, and could be an attempt at identity theft.

Foreign symbols or references. Kijiji is a local, face to face site – and any indication that the “job” or individual may not be located in Canada are big reasons to be suspicious. These might include currency symbols or references to being paid in another currency (which is actually illegal in Canada), mentions of geographical locations which are nowhere near where the position is supposedly located, or strange language that seems like it might have been put through a translation service.

Any requests for money. A legitimate employer will be looking to pay you, and should not be asking for money. If you need to purchase anything for a job (such as a uniform), typically these are taken out of a first pay cheque, not requested up front. Also be aware of “refund” requests after “overpayment” after your first pay, as this is a common scam (the original cheque bounces after the money is sent “back”, leaving the victim with less money, and still jobless).

Tall tales. If a job involves a lengthy story on why the job is required and why the poster can’t meet you face to face, and the poster evades your questions or refuses to answer requests for more information, keep your guard up.

If you replied to an ad and these red flags come up during correspondence, please let us know by sending the details to our help desk. If you come across an ad on site that is suspicious, please report it by clicking the link in the upper right corner of the ad. If your job hunt brings you into situations or exchanges that make you feel uncomfortable for any reason, trust your gut, and don’t be afraid to reach out to the trust and safety team if you have more questions.

Categories: Fraud, Scams & Safety Tips, Kijiji Jobs, Kijiji Tips, Trust & Safety

How to Stay Safe looking for Apartments Online

posted by on Apr 30, 2013 Leave a comment

Looking for apartments for rent can be a lot of stress – in many areas of the country, tenants must act fast to secure a nice space, and there is a lot of pressure if you are forced to leave your current residence by a certain date. Unfortunately, there are some who take advantage of this panic, both in person and online. What can you do to keep yourself safe when looking for an apartment?

Always deal in-person. This can be tough, especially if you are planning a long distance move, however, the most important thing to keep yourself safe from internet-based fraud is to ensure that you see the space before making a commitment, and never ever send money online. If this is not possible, ask someone you trust to check out the physical space. Don’t ever use wire transfers, Western Union, or any other service that won’t enable to put a stop on the funds if necessary.

Beware of involved tales. Does the landlord claim to be an African missionary that needs someone to house-sit? Do they say they are posted on an oil rig for months? Big red flags – most land lords are looking for a good tenant for the maximum amount of rent they can get, and aren’t going to spend precious time writing involved stories about their personal situation or making excuses as to why they can’t meet you. It makes more sense for someone seeking a long term tenant to get the value of the rent than it does for them to deeply discount the property for a quick turnaround. If they actually are abroad or can’t meet up for whatever reason, they will have someone who can meet you in person and show you around – possibly a family member, real estate agent, or a handyman who looks after their unit.

Know the market value. If similar properties in the area are posted at significantly more than this one, don’t be excited, be suspicious. While good deals are out there, scams typically will state a price that is so good that it gets prospective tenants excited and forget to ask questions. Newly renovated luxury apartment in a hot location for a low price? It is tempting to act fast, but keep your guard up – if the price seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Great space, prime location, luxury finishes at a low price? Very suspicious!

Great space, prime location, luxury finishes at a low price? Very suspicious!

Too much detail on the condition of a building? Fraudulent posters have been known to copy descriptions from for house for sale ads from around the web. If the rental listing has many details on building condition that would only be relevant to a buyer, not a tenant, keep your guard up.

Asked for in depth personal information before meeting? If you get an email requesting a lot of personal information, such as your SIN number, age, gender, banking information, and job, be aware that this could be an attempt to harvest personal information. A letter of employment is a standard request with many landlords, but be suspicious if they want information far beyond that before they will even agree to meet you.

Avoid cash deposits. You want your transaction to be traceable – ask for ID, sign a contract, and write a cheque if possible. If a landlord asks for cash in absence of a written agreement, this is a major red flag.

Kijiji is full of great landlords and prospective tenants, and we hope that you have a great experience finding a new home. If you see any ads that you find suspicious, or that raise the above red flags when you are corresponding, please let us know by flagging the ad or sending us an email.

Categories: Fraud, Scams & Safety Tips, Kijiji Real Estate, Kijiji Tips, Trust & Safety

The life of a Kijiji Scam Fighter

posted by on Mar 27, 2013 2 Comments

At Kijiji we work very hard to keep our site free of scams. However given the lengths internet scammers will go to it can be an uphill battle. At our headquarters in Toronto, we have a team of ad moderators – or ‘scam fighters’ as they are known around the office – who spend their time reviewing ads, identifying scam trends and keeping their finger on the pulse of the site to help Canadians buy, sell and trade safely.
We interviewed one of our scam fighters, Bogdan, for his take on this very important job.

Q: What is your role at Kijiji and how long have you been doing it?

A:  I am supervisor with Kijiji ad moderation and quality team and I started battling scammers as customer service representative in 2008. Since joining Kijiji I found myself to be very interested in all the scam trends, evolution of scam tactics, velocity, providing further actions, analysis and suggestions for smart improvements and better filters on Kijiji
Q: What is the best part of your job?

A: Keeping Kijiji safe is a big responsibility that everyone takes very seriously. Outsmarting internet scammers and making sure users have a good experience is very rewarding.I have incredible support from my supervisors and I work to give that to my direct team as well.

Bogdan, a Kijiji Scam Fighter
Q: What is the worst part of your job?

A: There are no negative parts in my JOB or what I do. Each day brings new challenges and the necessity to stay alert and ready for quick decisions. The toughtest part is probably that with scam fighting there is no “black and white” without grey areas  Sometimes it can be hard to tell what is a scam and what’s not.

Q; What does an average day look like for you?

A: Site safety and cleanliness is my first priority. A major part of is the day for me is looking for scams on Kijiji and working with our team to solve the problems they present. I also stay knowledgeable on new trends and pass the information to all other departments and customer service teams.

Q: How have scams on Kijiji evolved over your time here?

A: Without the risk of divulging crucial details in our work, I must say that with scammers we are engaged in a “tug of war” game. By studying scam stages and levels of complexity we  have introduced better filters and resources.I must say, since I started we have done a lot to prevent scams on our site. Scammers will always try and find a new way to reach our users, but we do our best to stay one step ahead of them.

How can Kijiji users help keep the site scam free?

A: An informed community is a better one. We have multiple channels opened exclusively for this type of help.  I encourage everyone to flag all suspicious ads through the “report ad link” located right above the “Poster contact Information” or using by contacting our Help Desk.

Report Ad button

Categories: Fraud, Scams & Safety Tips, Inside Kijiji, Trust & Safety

We Can All Sleep a Little Easier Now

posted by on Jul 19, 2011 18 Comments

FBI Cracks down on 90 International Internet Scammers

For sites that buy and sell goods over the internet, Romanian scammers have been the source of a lot of frustration and headaches over the last few years. The country’s laws and organized crime activity has created a haven for cyber crime that, according to some reports, equals over $20 million yearly.

Recently the FBI staged an internationally orchestrated crack down on a number of these scammers, a bold first move to target internet fraudsters.

The scammers often take advantage of buyers on classifieds and other ecommerce sites by promising to ship goods or requesting payment in advance through services like MoneyGram and Western Union. The money can be traced into this country but customers have no repercussion once they’ve realized they were taken.

This news makes our Customer Service team breath easier as they work very hard to keep the site free from this type of activity. While our efforts still continue at full capacity we’ve definitely noticed a change in the amount of site activity since this announcement.

Below is a clip from the Romanian news that was sent to us. While in Romanian, the Bottom Line: Good new for all of us!

 

As always, we always recommend that buyers and sellers meet in person and follow our simple rules:

  1. Meet in a public place with other people
  2. Do not send money electronically through sites like MoneyGram and Western Union.
  3. If something sounds too good to be true, it likely is.

For more information on our fraud and safety tips go to our Help section.

Categories: Fraud, Scams & Safety Tips, Trust & Safety

Trust & Safety – Keep Your Kijiji Account Secure

posted by on Mar 31, 2011 9 Comments

Your Kijiji password is the key to your Kijiji account. Do not enter the password on any web page unless it shows the secure site padlock or icon as seen below:

Scammers from foreign countries have been caught sending emails to auto dealers claiming to be from Kijiji with links to web sites that ask you to confirm or reset your password.  Even though these sites may look like Kijiji, they are designed to steal your password and use it to scam Kijiji buyers.  If you get any suspicious emails with links to sites that ask you for your password, do not enter your password.  Instead contact the Kijiji Autos account team.

 

Click here to review Kijiji’s safety tips.

 

Categories: Fraud, Scams & Safety Tips